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〃The key。〃
〃The key？〃 said Bill。
Cayley lifted his head and looked at Antony。 〃What about the key？〃
he asked。
〃Well； there may be nothing in it； I just wondered。 Suppose Robert
was killed as you say； and suppose Mark lost his head and thought of
nothing but getting away before anyone could see him。 Well； very likely
he'd lock the door and put the key in his pocket。 He'd do it without
thinking； just to gain a moment's time。
〃Yes； that's what I suggest。
〃It seems sound enough；〃 said Bill。 〃Sort of thing you'd do without
thinking。 Besides； if you are going to run away； it gives you more of a
chance。〃
〃Yes； that's all right if the key is there。 But suppose it isn't there？〃
The suggestion； made as if it were already an established fact； startled
them both。 They looked at him wonderingly。
〃What do you mean？〃 said Cayley。
〃Well； it's just a question of where people happen to keep their keys。
You go up to your bedroom； and perhaps you like to lock your door in
case anybody comes wandering in when you've only got one sock and a
pair of braces on。 Well； that's natural enough。 And if you look round
the bedrooms of almost any house； you'll find the keys all ready； so that
you can lock yourself in at a moment's notice。 But downstairs people
don't lock themselves in。 It's really never done at all。 Bill； for instance；
has never locked himself into the dining…room in order to be alone with
the sherry。 On the other hand； all women； and particularly servants； have a
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The Red House Mystery
horror of burglars。 And if a burglar gets in by the window； they like to
limit his activities to that particular room。 So they keep the； keys on the
outside of the doors； and lock the doors when they go to bed。〃 He
knocked the ashes out of his pipe； and added； 〃At least； my mother always
used to。〃
〃You mean；〃 said Bill excitedly； 〃that the key was on the outside of the
door when Mark went into the room？〃
〃Well； I was just wondering。〃
〃Have you noticed the other rooms the billiard…room； and library； and
so on？〃 said Cayley。
〃I've only just thought about it while I've been sitting out here。 You
live here haven't you ever noticed them？〃
Cayley sat considering； with his head on one side。
〃It seems rather absurd； you know； but I can't say that I have。〃 He
turned to Bill。 〃Have you？〃
〃Good Lord； no。 I should never worry about a thing like that。〃
〃I'm sure you wouldn't；〃 laughed Antony。 〃Well； we can have a look
when we go in。 If the other keys are outside； then this one was probably
outside too； and in that case well； it makes it more interesting。〃
Cayley said nothing。 Bill chewed a piece of grass； and then said；
〃Does it make much difference？〃
〃It makes it more hard to understand what happened in there。 Take
your accidental theory and see where you get to。 No instinctive turning
of the key now； is there？ He's got to open the door to get it； and opening
the door means showing his head to anybody in the hall … his cousin； for
instance； whom he left there two minutes ago。 Is a man in Mark's state of
mind； frightened to death lest he should be found with the body； going to
do anything so foolhardy as that？〃
〃He needn't have been afraid of me；〃 said Cayley。
〃Then why didn't he call for you？ He knew you were about。 You
could have advised him； Heaven knows he wanted advice。 But the whole
theory of Mark's escape is that he was afraid of you and of everybody else；
and that he had no other idea but to get out of the room himself； and
prevent you or the servants from coming into it。 If the key had been on
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The Red House Mystery
the inside； he would probably have locked the door。 If it were on the
outside； he almost certainly wouldn't。〃
〃Yes； I expect you're right；〃 said Bill thoughtfully。 〃Unless he took
the key in with him； and locked the door at once。
〃Exactly。 But in that case you have to build up a new theory
entirely。〃
〃You mean that it makes it seem more deliberate？〃
〃Yes； that； certainly。 But it also seems to make Mark out an absolute
idiot。 Just suppose for a moment that； for urgent reasons which neither
of you know anything about； he had wished to get rid of his brother。
Would he have done it like that？ Just killed him and then run away？
Why； that's practically suicide … suicide whilst of unsound mind。 No。 If
you really wanted to remove an undesirable brother； you would do it a
little bit more cleverly than that。 You'd begin by treating him as a friend；
so as to avoid suspicion； and when you did kill him at last； you would try
to make it look like an accident； or suicide； or the work of some other man。
Wouldn't you？〃
〃You mean you'd give yourself a bit of a run for your money？〃
〃Yes； that's what I mean。 if you were going to do it deliberately； that
is to say and lock yourself in before you began。〃 Cayley had been silent；
apparently thinking over this new idea。 With his eyes still on the ground；
he said now： 〃I hold to my opinion that it was purely accidental； and that
Mark lost his head and ran away。
〃But what about the key？〃 asked Bill。
〃We don't know yet that the keys were outside。 I don't at all agree
with Mr。 Gillingham that the keys of the down…stairs rooms are always
outside the doors。 Sometimes they are； no doubt； but I think we shall
probably find that these are inside。〃
〃Oh； well； of course； if they are inside； then your original theory is
probably the correct one。 Having often seen them outside； I just
wondered that's all。 You asked me to be quite frank； you know； and tell
you what I thought。 But no doubt you're right； and we shall find them
inside； as you say。
〃Even if the key was outside；〃 went on Cayley stubbornly； 〃I still think
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The Red House Mystery
it might have been accidental。 He might have taken it in with him；
knowing that the interview would be an unpleasant one； and not wishing
to be interrupted。〃
〃But he had just told you to stand by in case he wanted you； so why
should he lock you out？ Besides； I should think that if a man were going
to have an unpleasant interview with a threatening relation； the last thing
he would do would be to barricade himself in with him。 He would want to
open all the doors and say； 'Get out of it'〃
Cayley was silent； but his mouth looked obstinate。 Antony gave a
little apologetic laugh and stood up。
〃Well； come on； Bill；〃 he said； 〃we ought to be stepping。〃 He held
out a hand and pulled his friend up。 Then； turning to Cayley； he went on；
〃You must forgive me if I have let my thoughts run on rather。 Of course；
I was considering the matter purely as an outsider； just as a problem； I
mean； which didn't concern the happiness of any of my friends。〃
〃That's all right； Mr。 Gillingham；〃 said Cayley； standing up too。 〃It is
for you to make allowances for me。 I'm sure you will。 You say that
you're going up to the inn now about your bag？〃
〃Yes。〃 He looked up at the sun and then round the parkland
stretching about the house。 〃Let me see； it's over in that direction； isn't
it？〃 He pointed so